Career and Education Opportunities for Dietary Technicians in Springfield, Illinois

There is a wide variety of career and education opportunities for dietary technicians in the Springfield, Illinois area. There are currently 2,110 working dietary technicians in Illinois; this should grow 18% to about 2,490 working dietary technicians in the state by 2016. This is better than the national trend for dietary technicians, which sees this job pool growing by about 13.9% over the next eight years. Dietary technicians generally assist dietitians in the provision of food service and nutritional programs.

A person working as a dietary technician can expect to earn about $11 per hour or $23,610 annually on average in Illinois and about $12 per hour or $26,080 per year on average in the U.S. as a whole. Compared with people working in the overall category of Diet, people working as dietary technicians in Illinois earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Diet nationally. Jobs in this field include: dietary aide, dietary supervisor, and certified food protection professional .

There are nine schools of higher education in the Springfield area, including one within twenty-five miles of Springfield where you can get a degree to start your career as a dietary technician. The most common level of education for dietary technicians is less than a high school diploma. It will take only a short time to learn to be a dietary technician if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Dietary Technician

Dietary Technician video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, dietary technicians assist dietitians in the provision of food service and nutritional programs. They also under the supervision of dietitians, may plan and produce meals based on established guidelines, teach principles of food and nutrition, or counsel individuals.

Every day, dietary technicians are expected to be able to listen to and understand others in meetings. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they organize information in a variety of ways.

It is important for dietary technicians to obtain and evaluate dietary histories of individuals to develop nutritional programs. They are often called upon to ready a major meal, following recipes and determining group food quantities. They also formulate menus and diets or guide individuals and families in food selection and menu planning, based upon nutritional needs and established guidelines. They are sometimes expected to supervise food production and service, or assist dietitians and nutritionists in food service supervision and planning. Somewhat less frequently, dietary technicians are also expected to decide on and conduct orientation and in-service education programs.

They also have to be able to design job specifications and work schedules and deliver speeches on diet, nutrition and health to promote healthy eating habits and illness prevention and treatment. And finally, they sometimes have to furnish dietitians with assistance researching food, nutrition and food service systems.

Like many other jobs, dietary technicians must be reliable and be thorough and dependable.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Dietary Technician Training

Lincoln Land Community College - Springfield, IL

Lincoln Land Community College, 5250 Shepherd Rd, Springfield, IL 62794-9256. Lincoln Land Community College is a medium sized college located in Springfield, Illinois. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 6,659 students. Lincoln Land Community College has a less than one year program in Dietitian Assistant which graduated one student in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Certified Correctional Foodservice Professional:
A key purpose of the Certified Correctional Foodservice Professional certification is to develop the highest standards in.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Springfield, Illinois

Springfield, Illinois photo by %C3%89ovart_Ca%C3%A7eir

Springfield is situated in Sangamon County, Illinois. It has a population of over 117,352, which has grown by 5.3% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Springfield, 75, is far less than the national average. New single-family homes in Springfield cost $245,700 on average, which is below the state average. In 2008, ninety-seven new homes were built in Springfield, down from one hundred seventy-nine the previous year.

The three most popular industries for women in Springfield are public administration, health care, and educational services. For men, it is public administration, construction, and accommodation and food services. The average travel time to work is about 17 minutes. More than 30.6% of Springfield residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 11.6%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Springfield is 8.5%, which is less than Illinois's average of 10.5%.

The percentage of Springfield residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 56.9%, is more than both the national and state average. First Presbyterian Church and Christ Episcopal Church are all churches located in Springfield. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the Assemblies of God and the United Methodist Church.

Springfield is home to the Oliver P Parks Telephone Museum and the Building I as well as Jaycee Park and Fairview Park. Shopping malls in the area include Capital City Shopping Center, Fairhills Shopping Center and Chatham Square Shopping Center. Visitors to Springfield can choose from Cottage Inn, Courtyard Springfield and Drury Inn and Suites Springfield IL for temporary stays in the area.